In his dealings with the media since becoming the 49ers' starting quarterback, Colin Kaepernick has shown a brilliance for blandness and brevity.

On Wednesday, for example, Kaepernick offered 17 words in response to the first three questions during his weekly locker-room meeting with a horde of reporters and cameramen. A representative highlight: How does it feel to start again this week? Kaepernick: "It feels good."

The second-year QB with a brilliant academic record might make a point of not saying much publicly, but he's finding out that others are eager to say plenty about him since he has stepped into the NFL's spotlight.

In the past nine days, Kaepernick has launched a gazillion mouse clicks without saying a peep.

Last week, AOL's David Whitley wrote a column expressing his disapproval of Kaepernick's tattoos (most of which are Scripture-based), given the 25-year-old's new status as the "CEO of a high-profile organization." Wrote Whitley: "You don't want your CEO to look like he just got paroled." The distasteful column inspired an Internet hue and cry, along with a pointed response from Kaepernick's adoptive parents, Rick and Teresa Kaepernick of Turlock.

This week, the focus has turned from Kaepernick's body art to his biological mother, Heidi Russo, 44, a registered nurse in suburban Denver. Russo has spoken with reporters about her desire to connect with the son she hasn't seen for more than 24 years.

At 19, Russo, who was single, gave up Kaepernick for adoption. She since has reached out to her son on the Internet, attended a game of his at Nevada and was at the 49ers' preseason game at Denver in August, where she reconnected with Rick and Teresa. A 49ers spokesman confirmed that Russo is Kaepernick's biological mother, according to Kaepernick's agent.

On Wednesday, Kaepernick was asked about his new life in a fishbowl, in which even his huge pet tortoise, Sammy, has become worthy of Internet stories (USA Today: "Colin Kaepernick owns a 100-pound pet tortoise").

Kaepernick indicated he was too immersed in this week's game plan to pay attention to the buzz surrounding him.

"That's really not a problem for me," he said. "I don't read any of that stuff. I'm here for football."

A reporter tried a follow-up. Does this stuff come with the territory for an NFL starting quarterback? Kaepernick, expressionless, remained in character.

"I guess so," he said. "That's not really for me to say."

Kaepernick seems genuinely unaffected by the off-the-field attention. And he has flashed the same coolness on the field.

After his backbreaking botched read-option pitch resulted in a Rams touchdown in Sunday's 16-13 overtime loss, he ripped off a 50-yard run two plays later. On the next play, he lofted a perfectly placed pass to well-covered tight end Delanie Walker, who dropped the potential game-winner in the end zone.

Before Kaepernick's first NFL start, a Monday night win against the Bears last month, head coach Jim Harbaugh shared a bit of his personal history with a young quarterback who might be feeling a bit jittery. The coach told him that his first NFL start was also on a Monday night.

Kaepernick didn't feel the need to commiserate.

"He didn't have a follow-up question for me," Harbaugh said. "How'd it go? He just said 'Oh, OK.' So I dropped it."

Of course, the quarterback of few words has since inspired endless chatter on topics ranging from his on-field play to his personal relationships to his pet tortoise.

Maybe he'll read all about it ... in the offseason.

"I'm here to play football," Kaepernick said. "I don't pay attention to what the media is writing or what people are saying."